GARLIC AND BALSAMIC ROAST LAMB

 

GARLIC AND BALSAMIC ROAST LAMB

Serves up to 6

1 Syn per serving

2 heads of garlic
Leg of lamb, all visible fat removed - around 1.8kg
5 tbsp. good quality balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil - 6 Syns
2 tbsp. dried oregano
150ml vegetable stock
2 red onions, cut into wedges
200g cherry tomatoes, on the vine

Pre-heat the oven to 160C/Gas 2-3.
Cut the garlic heads in half, taking four cloves from them. Peel these four and cut into tiny slices.
Make small, deep cuts all over the lamb and poke in the garlic slices. Put the lamb into a large roasting tin.
Mix the olive oil, oregano and balsamic vinegar together. Pour over the lamb, spooning the liquid over the whole of the lamb, several times. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Scatter the onion wedges around the lamb, along with the halved garlic heads.
Pour the stock around the lamb, adding water until it comes about an inch up the side of the joint.
Cover the roasting tin with foil, tucking it firmly in, so the lamb is sealed. Roast for 5 hours.
Remove the foil and drain off the liquid, reserving it to make a tasty gravy.
Roast the uncovered lamb for a further 20 minutes.
Add the tomatoes to the tin and continue cooking, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, cover loosely with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving.
This resting time is vitally important as it allows the muscle to relax, therefore distributing the intense flavours throughout the meat and also helps in producing a very tender joint.

Gorgeous served with SW roast potatoes and lots of fresh veg. If you want a thickened gravy, I usually use 1 level tbsp. cornflour (3.5 Syns) to begin the thickening of the meat juices and, if I want it even thicker, rather than adding more Syns with extra cornflour, I simmer rapidly, whilst stirring, until the desired consistency is reached.